U.S. patent number 8,090,132 [Application Number 11/620,668] was granted by the patent office on 2012-01-03 for wireless communication headset with wired and wireless modes.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Apple Inc.. Invention is credited to Brett Alten, John Tang.
United States Patent |
8,090,132 |
Tang , et al. |
January 3, 2012 |
Wireless communication headset with wired and wireless modes
Abstract
A wireless communication headset having both wired and wireless
modes is provided. The wireless headset can include a headset
connector assembly that can be coupled to a cable connector of a
cable, which can in turn be connected to a telephone. When the
wireless headset is coupled to the telephone, it can advantageously
be operable to exchange audio information with the telephone
through the cable, receive electrical power from the telephone
through the cable, or both. In addition, the cable connector can
advantageously be coupled to the wireless headset without
obstructing airflow to a microphone that is located in the headset
connector assembly, through use of apparatus of the invention
located on the cable connector, such as an acoustic tunnel, a
microphone-speaker pair, or a microphone that is coupled to control
circuitry operable to disable the microphone of the headset.
Inventors: |
Tang; John (San Carlos, CA),
Alten; Brett (Cupertino, CA) |
Assignee: |
Apple Inc. (Cupertino,
CA)
|
Family
ID: |
39594781 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/620,668 |
Filed: |
January 6, 2007 |
Prior Publication Data
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|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20080167087 A1 |
Jul 10, 2008 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
381/361;
381/375 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04M
1/6058 (20130101); H04M 1/05 (20130101); H04M
1/6066 (20130101); H04M 2250/02 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H04R
25/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;455/41.1,41.2,41.3,569.1,573,575.2 ;439/345,626
;381/361,362,370,375,382,384 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
US. Appl. No. 11/650,073, filed Jan. 4, 2007, Tupman. cited by
other .
U.S. Appl. No. 11/650,132, filed Jan. 5, 2007, Johnson et al. cited
by other .
U.S. Appl. No. 11/823,922, filed Jun. 28, 2007, Hankey et al. cited
by other .
U.S. Appl. No. 11/824,180, filed Jun. 28, 2007, Hankey et al. cited
by other .
U.S. Appl. No. 11/824,203, filed Jun. 28, 2007, Hankey et al. cited
by other .
U.S. Appl. No. 11/824,442, filed Jun. 28, 2007, Hankey et al. cited
by other .
U.S. Appl. No. 11/824,443, filed Jun. 28, 2007, Terlizzi et al.
cited by other .
U.S. Appl. No. 11/824,444, filed Jun. 28, 2007, Hankey et al. cited
by other .
U.S. Appl. No. 11/824,453, filed Jun. 28, 2007, Hankey et al. cited
by other .
U.S. Appl. No. 11/824,460, filed Jun. 28, 2007, Terlizzi. cited by
other.
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Primary Examiner: Goins; Davetta W
Assistant Examiner: Dabney; Phylesha
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel
LLP
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A cable connector comprising: at least one cable contact
operable to be electrically coupled to at least one headset contact
of a wireless communication headset; and an acoustic tunnel
operable to be coupled to a microphone boot of the wireless
communication headset and to form a substantially continuous seal
with the microphone boot, wherein the acoustic tunnel is operable
to receive user audio input at an aperture of the acoustic tunnel
when the acoustic tunnel is coupled to the microphone boot, and
wherein the acoustic tunnel comprises a notched tip that is
operable to mate with a notched recess of the microphone boot when
the acoustic tunnel is coupled to the microphone boot.
2. The cable connector of claim 1 wherein the acoustic tunnel is at
least partially curved in shape.
3. The cable connector of claim 1 further comprising at least one
wire respectively coupled to the at least one cable contact and
operable to transfer electrical power from a telephone to the at
least one headset contact.
4. The cable connector of claim 1 further comprising at least one
wire respectively coupled to the at least one cable contact and
operable to transfer data corresponding to the user audio input
from the at least one cable contact to a telephone.
5. A cable connector comprising: at least one cable contact
operable to be electrically coupled to at least one headset contact
of a wireless communication headset; and an acoustic tunnel
operable to be coupled to a microphone boot of the wireless
communication headset and to form a substantially continuous seal
with the microphone boot, wherein the acoustic tunnel is operable
to receive user audio input at an aperture of the acoustic tunnel
when the acoustic tunnel is coupled to the microphone boot, wherein
the acoustic tunnel is substantially rectangular in shape.
6. The cable connector of claim 5 further comprising at least one
wire respectively coupled to the at least one cable contact and
operable to transfer electrical power from a telephone to the at
least one headset contact.
7. The cable connector of claim 5 further comprising at least one
wire respectively coupled to the at least one cable contact and
operable to transfer data corresponding to the user audio input
from the at least one cable contact to a telephone.
8. A cable connector comprising: at least one cable contact
operable to be electrically coupled to at least one headset contact
of a wireless communication headset; a microphone operable to
receive user audio input when the at least one cable contact is
coupled to the at least one headset contact; a speaker operable to
receive user audio data corresponding to the user audio input from
the microphone and transmit the user audio data to a microphone
boot of the wireless communication headset when the at least one
cable contact is coupled to the at least one headset contact; and
an acoustic tunnel operable to couple the speaker to a microphone
boot of the wireless communication headset, wherein the acoustic
tunnel comprises a notched tip that is operable to mate with a
notched recess of the microphone boot when the acoustic tunnel is
coupled to the microphone boot.
9. A cable connector comprising: at least one cable contact
operable to be electrically coupled to at least one headset contact
of a wireless communication headset; a microphone operable to
receive user audio input when the at least one cable contact is
coupled to the at least one headset contact; a speaker operable to
receive user audio data corresponding to the user audio input from
the microphone and transmit the user audio data to a microphone
boot of the wireless communication headset when the at least one
cable contact is coupled to the at least one headset contact; and
an aperture in a housing of the cable connector, wherein the
microphone is coupled to the aperture and substantially covers a
face of the aperture that is inside the housing.
10. A cable connector comprising: at least one cable contact
operable to be electrically coupled to at least one headset contact
of a wireless communication headset; a first microphone operable to
receive user audio input when the at least one cable contact is
coupled to the at least one headset contact; and control circuitry
operable to transmit at least one control signal to detection
circuitry of the wireless communication headset, for disabling a
second microphone that is located on the wireless communication
headset, when the at least one cable contact is coupled to the at
least one headset contact.
11. The cable connector of claim 10 further comprising:
transmission circuitry coupled to the control circuitry, wherein:
the control circuitry is further operable to transmit user audio
data indicative of the user audio input to the transmission
circuitry; and the transmission circuitry is operable to transmit
the user audio data to a telephone through at least one wire that
is coupled to the at least one cable contact.
12. The cable connector of claim 10 wherein the control circuitry
is further operable to transmit user audio data indicative of the
user audio input to the detection circuitry of the wireless
communication headset.
13. The cable connector of claim 10 further comprising an aperture
in a housing of the cable connector, wherein the first microphone
is coupled to the aperture and substantially covers a face of the
aperture that is inside the housing.
14. The cable connector of claim 10 further comprising at least one
magnetic component that is operable to be magnetically coupled to a
headset connector plate of the wireless communication headset when
the at least one cable contact is coupled to the at least one
headset contact.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention can relate to communication headsets. More
particularly, the present invention can relate to wireless
communication headsets that are operable to transmit data in both
wireless and wired modes.
Wireless communication headsets for providing hands-free telephonic
communications (e.g., in conjunction with cellular telephones or
telephone software that transmits voice data over the Internet) are
well known in the art. One relatively common type of wireless
communication headset is the Bluetooth.RTM. headset, which is
operable to communicate with an associated device using a Bluetooth
communication protocol. Existing Bluetooth headsets can include a
microphone, a speaker, a circuit board for controlling the
microphone and speaker and for communicating with the device with
which the headset is associated (e.g., a cellular telephone), a
battery, and a connector for re-charging the battery. Although the
discussion herein focuses on Bluetooth headsets associated with
cellular telephones for ease of illustration, it will be understood
that the ideas of the invention can also be applied to other types
of wireless headsets and telephonic communication devices.
It is often desirable to design Bluetooth headsets to be relatively
small and light, in order to provide relatively good comfort and
fit when mounted to a user's ear and a relatively pleasing
appearance. However, the relatively small form factor of Bluetooth
headsets often entails a relatively short battery life, which
requires relatively frequent recharging, often using a power
adapter that is plugged into an electrical wall outlet. The
necessity to recharge headsets in such a manner can make Bluetooth
headsets relatively impractical to use for extended
conversations.
In addition, Bluetooth headsets typically require a relatively
short and unobstructed communication path between the headset and
its associated cellular telephone, in order to provide effective
transmission of radio frequency ("RF") data signals. If there is
some sort of interference (e.g., from physical obstructions,
distance, or electromagnetic activity from other devices), the
Bluetooth headset may not be able to communicate effectively with
the associated device, forcing the user to speak directly into the
cellular telephone or use another headset that relies on a direct
wired connection to the cellular telephone.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide a
Bluetooth headset whose power can be charged through a wired
connection to its associated cellular telephone. It would also be
desirable to provide a Bluetooth headset that can transmit and
receive audio data through a wired connection, in addition to
through a wireless Bluetooth connection. Further limitations and
disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will
become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of
such systems with some aspects of the present invention, as set
forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to
the drawings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a wireless
communication headset (e.g., a headset that can communicate with a
telephone via Bluetooth communications) can be provided with both
wired and wireless modes. The headset can include a headset
connector assembly that has at least one headset contact that can
be coupled to at least one respective cable contact of a cable
connector. Such a configuration can be used to transfer power from
a telephone, through a cable and the cable connector, to the
wireless communication headset, advantageously allowing the headset
to be used for a relatively long period of time without having to
be recharged through a docking station or a power adapter. In
addition to, or instead of, being used to transfer power from the
telephone to the wireless communication headset, the electrical
connection can be used to exchange audio data between the telephone
and the wireless communication headset.
As such, a user can use a wireless communication headset of the
invention to transfer audio data to and from a telephone using both
a wireless mode (e.g., via Bluetooth communication) and a wired
mode. When the wireless communication headset is coupled to a cable
and the cable is connected to a telephone, audio input from the
user can be transmitted from the headset to the telephone through
the cable. Similarly, the headset can be used to receive audio
data, power, or both from the telephone until the cable is
decoupled from the telephone or the headset.
In accordance with embodiments of the invention, a cable connector
can be coupled to a headset connector plate assembly without
obstructing audio input from a user to a microphone located in the
connector plate assembly. The cable connector can include at least
one cable contact to be electrically coupled to at least one
headset contact of the wireless communication headset. The cable
connector can also include, for example, an acoustic tunnel that
can be coupled to a microphone boot of the headset to form a
substantially continuous seal with the microphone boot. The
acoustic tunnel can have an aperture that remains exposed while the
cable connector is coupled to the headset connector plate assembly,
such that audio input from a user can travel into the aperture of
the cable connector, through the acoustic tunnel, through the
microphone boot, and to a microphone of the wireless headset.
As another example, the cable connector can include a microphone
that can receive user audio input when the cable connector is
coupled to the headset connector plate assembly. The microphone can
forward the user audio input to a speaker of the cable connector,
which can in turn transmit user audio data corresponding to the
user audio input to the microphone boot of the wireless
communication headset (e.g., through an acoustic tunnel that is
coupled to the microphone boot). Accordingly, an embedded
microphone-speaker pair of the cable connector can substantially
amplify or repeat the user's voice into the microphone boot of the
wireless communication headset, which is coupled to the microphone
of the headset.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention, the
cable connector can include a microphone that can receive user
audio input. Control circuitry of the cable connector, which can be
coupled to the microphone, can transmit at least one control signal
to detection circuitry of the wireless communication headset to
disable the microphone that is located on the headset. The control
circuitry can then route user audio data corresponding to the user
audio input to the telephone through a cable, without using the
wireless communication headset.
The invention can therefore advantageously provide a wireless
headset that can operate in both wired and wireless modes, where
the headset can receive power from a telephone, exchange audio data
with the telephone, or both through a cable when the headset is in
the wired mode. The wireless headset can be coupled to the cable
without interfering with the ability to receive audio input from a
user and transmit data corresponding to the user audio input to the
telephone, even though the microphone of the wireless headset can
be at least partially obstructed by the connection to the
cable.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention
will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed
description, taken in conjunction with accompanying drawings, in
which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout, and
in which:
FIG. 1 is a diagram depicting an illustrative Bluetooth telephonic
communication system in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention;
FIGS. 2A and 2B are perspective views of an illustrative Bluetooth
headset in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 3 is an exploded view of an illustrative Bluetooth headset in
accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an illustrative Bluetooth headset
connector assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention;
FIG. 5 is an exploded view of an illustrative Bluetooth headset
connector assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an illustrative Bluetooth headset
microphone boot in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention;
FIG. 7 is a perspective cross-sectional view of an illustrative
Bluetooth headset connector plate assembly in accordance with an
embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an illustrative magnetic array for
use in a cable connector in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention;
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an illustrative magnetic array for
use in a cable connector, aligned with an illustrative Bluetooth
headset connector plate in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention;
FIGS. 10A and 10B are perspective views of an illustrative cable
connector assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention;
FIGS. 11A and 11B are, respectively, side and top views of an
illustrative cable connector in accordance with an embodiment of
the invention;
FIGS. 12A and 12B are, respectively, side and top views of another
illustrative cable connector in accordance with an embodiment of
the invention;
FIG. 13 is a block diagram of illustrative circuitry for use in a
cable connector and an associated wireless communication headset in
accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and
FIGS. 14A and 14B are flow charts depicting an illustrative method
of operating a wireless communication handset in wired and wireless
modes in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a drawing depicting an illustrative Bluetooth telephonic
communication system 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention. System 100 can include telephone 102 and wireless
communication headset 110, which can be electrically coupled to
each other by way of cable 106. (As used herein, the term "coupled"
should be understood to generically encompass both direct and
indirect connections between two structures, including physical
connection through intermediate mechanical modules, electrical
modules, or any other suitable components or combinations thereof,
as well as connections that occur through communication passing
through electrical modules, wiring, air, or any other suitable
medium or combination thereof.)
Telephone 102 can be any appropriate type of telephone, including a
cellular telephone, a wireless landline-based telephone, an
internet telephone that is adapted for use with a personal computer
system or laptop, or any suitable combination thereof. Similarly,
telephone 102 can be adapted to allow a user to initiate and
maintain communications with other users through the use of any
appropriate communications standard, such as code division multiple
access (CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), global system
for mobile communications (GSM), voice over Internet Protocol
(Voice Over IP), or any suitable combination thereof. Such
communications can occur through any appropriate intermediate
devices, such as cellular telephone towers, signal repeaters,
personal computers, Internet routers, or any suitable combination
thereof. In addition, telephone 102 can include capabilities that
are substantially unrelated to telephonic communications, such as
the ability to download and play media (e.g., music or movies), the
ability to download and run applications such as games and personal
utilities, and any other suitable capabilities or combinations
thereof. Illustrative cellular telephone methods and apparatus that
can be used in telephone 102 in accordance with an embodiment of
the invention is disclosed in co-pending, commonly-assigned U.S.
patent application Ser. Nos. 11/650,073 and 11/650,132,
respectively filed on Jan. 4, 2007 and concurrently herewith, and
respectively entitled "Power Management Systems and Methods" and
"Audio I/O Headset Plug and Plug Detection Circuitry", which are
hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.
Wireless communication headset 110 can allow a user to communicate
with other users through telephone 102 without the need to speak
directly into or hear sound directly from telephone 102. That is, a
first user wearing wireless communication headset 110 can speak
directly into headset 110, which can communicate audio signals
carrying information representing the speech of that user to
telephone 102, which can transmit communication signals
representing that speech to a device associated with a second user.
Similarly, speech signals received from that second user at
telephone 102 can be communicated to wireless communication headset
102, which in turn can convey such received speech signals to the
first user. Wireless communication headset 110 can be any
appropriate headset that is adapted for use with telephone 102, and
can include an earbud, a canalphone, closed or open headphones,
supra-aural or circumaural headphones, or any other suitable
combination thereof. In addition, wireless communication headset
can be adapted to communicate with telephone 102 using any
appropriate means of communication, such as radio frequency (RF)
transmission, or any other type of wired or wireless communication
or combinations thereof. In accordance with an embodiment of the
invention, headset 110 can be a Bluetooth headset incorporating
methods and apparatus disclosed in co-pending, commonly-assigned
U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/879,177, filed
concurrently herewith and entitled "Bluetooth Headset", which is
hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. Further
details of structures and features that can be implemented in
headset 110 will be discussed below in connection with FIGS.
2A-13.
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, telephone 102
can be coupled to wireless communication headset 110 through cable
106. Cable 106 can be coupled to telephone 102 through connector
104, and can be coupled to wireless communication headset 110
through connector 108. Each of connectors 104 and 108 can be any
appropriate type of connector, such as a traditional serial-port or
parallel-port plug, a universal serial bus (USB) plug, a plug that
relies on at least one magnet to maintain a physical coupling to
the corresponding device, or any suitable combination thereof. In
accordance with an embodiment of the invention, wireless
communication headset 106 can be operable to receive or transmit
power, audio signals, or both from or to telephone 102 through
cable 106. Similarly, telephone 102 can be configured to receive or
transmit power, audio signals, or both to headset 110 through cable
108. Headset 110 can also, or instead, be adapted for use with a
personal computer (e.g., one that can communicate with another
personal computer or any suitable networked device using Voice Over
IP), without the use of an intermediate telephone such as telephone
102. In such a scenario, headset 110 can be operable to communicate
with the personal computer using any appropriate means, such as
through a cable coupled to a USB port of the personal computer.
Docking station 112 can be used to supply power to telephone 102,
headset 110, or both when plugged into an electrical outlet or
other appropriate power source through power cable 118. For
example, telephone 102 can be powered by a rechargeable battery
that is attached to telephone 102. That rechargeable battery can be
recharged when desired by placing telephone 102 in slot 114 of
docking station 112. Similarly, wireless communication headset 110
can be powered by a rechargeable battery, which might be smaller
and less powerful than the battery associated with telephone 102 in
order to maintain the relative lightness and small size of headset
110. The rechargeable battery of wireless communication headset 110
can be recharged when desired by placing headset 110 into slot 116
of docking station 112. Docking station 112 can also perform other
functions in addition to, or instead of, supplying power to
telephone 102 and headset 110. For example, docking station 112 can
include at least one speaker that can be coupled to telephone 102
when telephone 102 is in a speakerphone mode, such that audio data
can be transferred from telephone 102 to docking station 112 for
projection through the at least one speaker.
FIGS. 2A and 2B show perspective views of illustrative Bluetooth
headset 2000 in accordance with an embodiment of this invention.
Bluetooth headset 2000 can be used as wireless communication
headset 110 of FIG. 1. Electrical, mechanical, and other components
of headset 2000 can be enclosed in a housing, which can include a
plurality of pieces that are assembled using any appropriate
process, such as adhesive, screws, press fit, or any suitable
combination thereof. Illustrative Bluetooth headset 2000 can
include earbud body 1100, earbud neck 2110, tube 2200, button body
2300, and connector plate 2400.
Earbud body 2100 can include perforations (sometimes called
acoustic ports) 2102 and 2104 that allow air to pass into and out
of earbud body 2100. For example, front port 2104 can facilitate
the passage of audio waves from a receiver located inside earbud
body 2100 to the ear of a user. Side ports 2102, on the other hand,
can facilitate the venting of acoustic pressure from inside earbud
body 2100 to the surrounding air. Earbud body 2100 can be coupled
to tube 2200 by neck 2110.
Tube 2200 can include one or more microperforations 2202. Button
body 2300 can be coupled to tube 2200 and include button 2310,
which a user can manipulate to control headset 2000. Connector
plate 2400 can be coupled to the end of tube 2200 that is opposite
button body 2300, and can include at least one acoustic port for a
microphone operable to receive a user's voice, as well as at least
one contact 2410 operable to be coupled to a cable for providing
power, data, or both to headset 2000. In accordance with an
embodiment of the invention, connector plate 2400 and contacts 2410
(which can be substantially level with the face of connector plate
2400) can be substantially recessed into tube 2200, as shown by
recessed portion 2420. This recessed positioning can advantageously
facilitate the coupling of connector plate 2400 and contacts 2410
with another connector (e.g., a connector at the end of a cable),
where at least part of that other connector can be inserted into
recessed portion 2420 to mate with connector plate 2400.
Earbud body 2100, earbud neck 2110, tube 2200, button body 2300,
and connector plate 2400 can be constructed from any appropriate
material including, for example, metal, plastic, silicone, rubber,
foam, or any suitable combination thereof. As an example, earbud
body 2100 can be formed from a plastic element surrounded by a
silicone seal, and tube 2200 can be formed from aluminum.
Similarly, earbud body 2100, earbud neck 2110, tube 2200, button
body 2300, and connector plate 2400 can be manufactured using any
appropriate process (e.g., molding, casting, extrusion, or any
suitable combination thereof). For example, earbud body 2100,
earbud neck 2110, tube 2200, button body 2300, and connector plate
2400 can be post-process cold-impressed to provide texture and
other features on the inner surfaces of the bodies.
FIG. 3 is an exploded view of illustrative Bluetooth headset 3000
in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Bluetooth
headset 3000 can be substantially similar to Bluetooth headset 2000
of FIG. 2. Headset 3000 can include earbud circuit board 3120, on
which processor 3122 can be mounted for controlling the operation
of headset 3000. Processor 3122 can be operable to perform any
suitable function, including receiving, transmitting, decoding,
encoding, or filtering audio data, or any suitable combination
thereof. For example, processor 3122 can include wireless
transceiver circuitry that is operable to wirelessly transmit and
receive audio data to and from telephone 102 (e.g., using Bluetooth
communication), possibly in conjunction with other suitable
circuitry, such as antenna 3214 (described in greater detail later
herein). Earbud circuit board 3120 can be electrically coupled to
receiver 3124, and can be flexible so that it can be folded upon
itself in order to occupy a three-dimensional volume. For example,
earbud circuit board 3120 and receiver 3124 can both be placed in
earbud body 3100, to reduce the footprint of tube 3200 and button
body 3300.
Additional electronic components 3212 can be mounted on tube
circuit board 3210. The size of headset 3000 can be reduced through
appropriate distribution of electronic components between earbud
circuit board 3120 and tube circuit board 3210.
Neck 3110 can be used to couple earbud body 3100 to headset tube
3200. In one embodiment, neck 3110 can be coupled to earbud body
3100 using screw 3112, and to headset tube 3200 using screw 3114.
Neck 3110 can couple earbud body 3100 to tube 3200 in a manner that
prevents earbud body 3100 and tube 3200 from undergoing rotation
relative to each other.
Antenna 3214 can be used for wireless communications and can be
located inside tube 3200. Antenna 3214 can be any appropriate
antenna for communicating between headset 3000 and an electronic
device (e.g., a telephone such as telephone 100 of FIG. 1). Tube
circuit board 3210 and antenna 3214 can be electrically coupled to
earbud circuit board 3120 by one or more wires (not shown) or any
other suitable means.
A user can control the functions of headset 3000 using button 3310,
which can be electrically coupled to tube circuit board 3210.
Button 3310 can be coupled to button body 3300, which can include
appendages 3302 for securing the housing in tube 3200. Button 3310
can extend outward from button body 3300 such that the button is
positioned behind a user's ear when headset 3000 is in use. Button
3310 can be configured to move in any suitable manner including,
for example, bending with respect to tube 3200, translating in and
out of button body 3300, and rotating around an axis that passes
through connector plate 3400 and button 3310.
Battery pack 3220 can be located within tube 3200, and can contain
any appropriate battery or batteries, including lithium ion,
lithium ion polymer (Li-Poly), nickel metal hydride, or any
suitable combination thereof. Battery pack 3220 can be electrically
coupled to tube circuit board 3210 for powering processor 3122, and
to one or more of connector contacts 3410 for battery recharging.
In order to decrease the size of battery pack 3220, and thereby
reduce the size of headset 3000, circuitry that is typically
packaged within standard battery packs can be moved to tube circuit
board 3210.
Headset 3000 can also include microphone 3420 for receiving
communications from a user. Microphone 3420 can be placed inside
the end of tube 3400 that is farthest from earbud housing 3100.
This end of tube 3400 is the portion of headset 3000 that is
closest to the user's mouth. Headset 3000 can also include
connector plate 3400, which can provide a surface for headset 3000
to connect with other devices. An opening (also sometimes called a
"port") can be included in connector plate 3400 so that sound from
a user's mouth can reach microphone 3420. Microphone 3420 and
connector plate 3400 can be electrically coupled to circuit board
3210 in any suitable manner.
Connector plate 3400 can include apertures in which contacts 3410
can be inserted in order to facilitate the electrical coupling of
headset 3000 to another device. Contacts 3410 can be substantially
flush with the surface of connector plate 3400 so that the
combination of the contacts and plate create a substantially flat
surface for mating with other connectors. Connector plate 3400 can
be made of a ferromagnetic material so that magnetic connectors,
such as those shown in FIG. 8, for example, are magnetically biased
to connector plate 3400. The design of connector plate 3400,
contacts 3410, and complementary magnetic connectors will be
described in more detail below in connection with the discussion of
FIGS. 4-13.
Headset 3000 can include one or more brackets 3230 adapted to
couple connector plate 3400 to antenna cap 3300. Brackets 3230 can
prevent connector plate 3400 from moving axially away from antenna
cap 3300, and can likewise prevent connector plate 3400 and antenna
cap 3300 from separating from tube 3200. Alternatively, plate 3400
can be coupled to a bracket that is secured to the inner wall of
tube 3200, and antenna cap 3300 can be coupled to a different
bracket that is also secured to the inside of the tube.
In most headsets, the end containing the microphone is typically
affixed to the headset body with an adhesive that seals the seam
between the end and the headset body. By using brackets 3230, it is
not necessary to use adhesive to secure connector plate 3400 in
tube 3200. Because no adhesive is used, sound waves can leak in
through the seam around plate 3400. In the event that a foreign
object, such as dirt, were to clog the opening for microphone 3420,
the leaked sound waves can still be picked up by microphone 3420.
Alternatively, an adhesive can be applied to the seam if leaked
sound waves cause problems with microphone 3420.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of illustrative Bluetooth headset
connector assembly 4500 in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention. Connector assembly 4500 can include connector plate
4400, contacts 4410, and corresponding contact insulator 4412 to
prevent contacts 4410 from electrically coupling to connector plate
4400. Wires (not shown) can be included in connector assembly 4500
to electrically couple contacts 4410 to tube circuit board 4210.
Microphone port 4430 can be included in the top of connector plate
4400 to allow sound to reach microphone boot 4420. Microphone boot
4420 and a microphone (not shown) can be located behind connector
plate 4400. The microphone (not shown) can be housed within
microphone boot 4420 to, for example, protect the microphone from
damage and control the flow of air into the microphone.
FIG. 5 is an exploded view of illustrative Bluetooth headset
connector assembly 5500 in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention. Connector assembly 5500, which can be substantially
similar to connector assembly 4500 of FIG. 4, can include connector
plate 5400, microphone boot 5420, microphone 5422, contacts 5410,
contact insulator 5412, bracket 5502, and screws 5504. Microphone
5422 can be a MEMs microphone and can be electrically coupled to
tube circuit board 5210. Microphone boot 5420 can be mounted over
microphone 5422, and can be made of silicon so that it can seal
with surrounding parts when connector assembly 5500 is assembled
into one piece.
Contacts 5410 can be substantially encapsulated by contact
insulator 5412 as shown. Contact insulator 5412 can be made of a
nonconductive material, such as polycarbonate, for example, so that
contacts 5410 are electrically isolated from connector plate 5400.
Contact insulator 5412 can be mounted onto circuit board 5210 and
can include wires (not shown), which can electrically couple
contacts 5410 with circuit board 5210.
Bracket 5502 can be coupled to connector plate 5400 in order to
hold connector assembly 5500 together. Upward pressure from bracket
5502 can compress microphone boot 5420 in order to create an
acoustic seal for the passage of air into and out of microphone
5422. Circuit board 5210, contact insulator 5412, and bracket 5502
can include one or more apertures for mounting to connector plate
5400. Screws 5504, only one of which is shown, can be inserted
through these apertures and screwed into threaded cavities (not
shown) on the back of connector plate 5400.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of illustrative Bluetooth headset
microphone boot 6420 in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention. Microphone boot 6420 can include input aperture 6424.
Air that flows into a headset by going around microphone boot 6420
can cause a noticeable loss in the quality of the audio signals
picked up by a microphone (not shown). Therefore, microphone boot
6420 can include sealing surface 6426 in order to advantageously
prevent air from leaking through any seams that are located around
the edge of microphone boot 6420. Sealing surface 6426 can be a
horizontal surface of boot 6240 that extends to the perimeter of
the footprint of the boot. Sealing seams in this manner can direct
the flow of air into aperture 6424, which can result in higher
quality sound being received by the microphone (not shown).
Traditionally, the roof of a microphone boot is sealed to the
surfaces of surrounding parts. This sealing can require a
relatively thick boot roof that is structurally robust enough to
support the pressure required to make an adequate seal. In the
embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the horizontal sealing surface 6426 can
be lower than roof 6427. Accordingly, roof 6427 can be relatively
thin because it does not need to support the pressure of a seal.
This reduced thickness can save space in a housing that contains
microphone boot 6420, and can result in a generally smaller or
thinner headset.
FIG. 7 is a perspective cross-sectional view of illustrative
Bluetooth headset connector plate assembly 7000 in accordance with
an embodiment of the invention. Connector plate assembly 7000 can
include connector plate 7400, microphone boot 7420, and microphone
7422. These components can be assembled in such a way that air can
pass through microphone port 7430, into boot aperture 7424, and
reach microphone input 7423. Various modifications to illustrative
connector plate assembly 7000 can be performed if desired. For
example, suitably sized and shaped wind-screen mesh material can be
coupled to microphone port 7430, in order to reduce the wind noise
of incoming user audio input through microphone port 7430.
Because of the other elements (not shown) in the connector
assembly, an illustrative set of which is described above in
connection with FIG. 5, microphone 7422 and microphone boot 7420
can be pressed against connector plate 7400 when installed in a
headset. The pressure at this contact can cause sealing surface
7426 to form a seal with surface 7404 of connector plate 7400. This
seal can advantageously prevent air from passing through microphone
port 7430 and through seam 7900, between connector plate 7400 and
microphone boot 7420.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of illustrative magnetic array 8810
for use in a cable connector in accordance with an embodiment of
the invention. Array 8810 can include magnetic components
8811-8815, which can be made of a permanent rare-earth magnetic
material or any other type of suitable material. For example,
magnetic components 8811-8815 can be made of Neodymium magnets,
such as N50 magnets. Magnetic components 8811-8815 can be shaped so
that a substantially mating face 8816 is formed along one side.
This mating face 8816 can, for example, be complementary to the
angle of a headset's connector plate (not shown), as described in
further detail below in connection with FIG. 9.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an illustrative magnetic array 9810
for use in a cable connector, aligned with an illustrative
Bluetooth headset connector plate 9400 in accordance with an
embodiment of the invention. If connector plate 9400 is made of a
ferromagnetic material and array 9810 includes a plurality of
permanent magnets, the magnetic fields of array 9810 can generate
magnetic forces between plate 9400 and array 9810 If array 9810 is
embedded within a connector that mates with plate 9400, these
magnetic forces can reinforce the connection between the connector
and plate 9400.
In order to maximize the magnetic field generated by array 9810, it
can be advantageous to arrange magnetic components 9811-9815 so
that the polarity of each component is in a particular orientation.
For example, magnetic components 9811-9815 can be arranged so that
the south pole of the outer two magnets are closest to the mating
face, and the north pole of the inner three magnets are closest to
the mating face. In this configuration, if one were to list the
polarities encountered when passing horizontally over the mating
face, the list would read south-north-north-north-south. This
maximization of the magnetic field is one reason why it might be
desirable to use an array of magnets, as opposed to a single large
magnet.
While the embodiments described in this discussion include a
ferromagnetic connector plate and an array of permanent magnets
embedded in a complementary connector, it is contemplated that any
other magnetic configurations can be used without deviating from
the spirit of the present invention. For example, an
electromagnetic element can be included in the connector plate in
place of, or addition to, the ferromagnetic material. Similarly, a
ferromagnetic material can be located in a complementary connector
in place of, or in addition to, the permanent magnets.
FIGS. 10A and 10B are perspective views of an illustrative cable
connector assembly 10800 in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention. Connector assembly 10800 is complementary to and capable
of mating with a connector plate (not shown), such as connector
plate 9400 of FIG. 9. Connector 10800 can be used in, for example,
the cable of a charger (not shown) that charges a battery in a
wireless communication headset.
The view of connector assembly 10800 in FIG. 10A does not include
connector housing 10870 so that the location of magnetic array
10810 and contact array 10820 can be seen. Array 10810 of magnetic
components can be embedded in connector assembly 10800 so that the
surface of magnetic components 10812, 10813, and 10814 can be flush
with a mating face of a connector plate (not shown), such as the
outward face of connector plate 9400 of FIG. 9. These exposed
magnetic components can extend up to the surface of the mating
connector plate (not shown), in order to maximize the strength of
the magnetic forces between magnetic components 10812-10814 and the
surface of the connector plate (not shown). However, a connector
with no exposed magnetic elements would not deviate from the spirit
of the present invention. For example, magnetic components 10811
and 10815 can be recessed in order to reduce the size of connector
assembly 10800.
An array 10820 of contacts 10830, 10840, 10850, and 10860 can be
included in connector assembly 10800. In order to integrate contact
array 10820 with magnetic array 10810, each contact can be placed
in the gap between a pair of adjacent magnetic components. In this
manner, contact 10830 can be located in between magnetic components
10811 and 10812, contact 10840 can be located between components
10812 and 10813, etc. This integrated distribution of contacts,
which is enabled through the use of multiple magnetic components
that are spaced apart from each other as opposed to a single large
magnet, can advantageously permit the size of connector assembly
10800 to be relatively small.
Each contact in contact array 10820 can include a spring mechanism,
such as coil 10862 of contact 10860. Coil 10862 can bias contact
tip 10860 to extend out of connector housing 10870. Coils 10862,
10864, 10866, and 10868 can be substantially planar, or flat.
Substantially planar coils can allow for minimal spacing between
magnetic components 10811-10815, which can in turn result in a
relatively small connector. However, other types of coils and
contacts can be used in accordance with the principles of the
present invention. For example, cylindrical springs biasing
respective cylindrical contacts (commonly called "pogo pins") can
be used instead.
Contact array 10820 can be positioned to electrically couple to,
for example, the contacts located on the face of a connector plate
of a headset (not shown), such as contacts 2410 of FIG. 2A.
Connector housing 10870 can include an elevated face 10872, which
can fit into a cavity of a complementary connector. For example, if
connector 10800 were to mate with headset 2000 of FIGS. 2A and 2B,
elevated face 10872 could fit against recessed connector plate
2400, while the edge of tube 2200 could fit against perimeter 10874
of connector 10800. In this mating configuration, contact tips
10830, 10840, 10850, and 10860 can be electrically coupled to
contacts 2410 of headset 2000.
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, connector
assembly 10800 can include contacts (not shown) on the rear of
housing 10870 so that connector assembly 10800 can be electrically
coupled to other circuitry (not shown). For example, connector
assembly 10800 can be operable to transmit electrical power to or
from a headset through one or more contacts in contact array 10820,
which can advantageously prolong the operating time of the headset
by supplementing the power supplied by the headset's battery pack
with power from an external source, by recharging the headset's
battery pack, or both. Similarly, connector assembly 10800 can be
operable to transmit audio data to or from a headset through one or
more contacts in array 10820, communicating that audio data to or
from a corresponding device (e.g., a cellular telephone that
operates in conjunction with the headset).
One potential disadvantage of using connector assembly 10800 in
conjunction with a headset connector plate assembly, such as
connector plate assembly 7400 of FIG. 7, is that connector assembly
10800 can substantially obstruct the airflow into at least one air
channel of the connector plate assembly. For instance, aligning
face 10872 of connector assembly 10800 with connector plate 7400
(which can be recessed inside a tube of a headset) can
substantially block air and sound from entering microphone port
7430 and microphone boot aperture 7424. Such blocking can result in
substantially less or lower-quality audio signals being received by
microphone 7422. In accordance with embodiments of the invention,
the structure of connector assembly 10800 can be modified in order
to facilitate a free flow of air when connector assembly 10800 is
mated against a complementary headset connector plate assembly,
such as assembly 7400 of FIG. 7. Further details of the structure
and operation of such illustrative connectors of the invention are
described below in connection with FIGS. 11A-13.
FIGS. 11A and 11B are, respectively, side and top views of
illustrative cable connector 11000 in accordance with an embodiment
of the invention. In FIGS. 11A and 11B, certain structures that are
located inside housing 11970 are represented by dashed lines. Cable
connector 11000 can be used as connector 108 of FIG. 1 to
electrically couple wireless communication headset 110 to telephone
102 through cable 106. Connector 11000 can include connector body
11900 and connector assembly 11800, which can include some or all
the features of the connector structures illustrated in FIGS.
8-10B. For example, connector assembly 11800 can be substantially
similar to connector assembly 10800, illustrated in FIGS. 10A and
10B, which can include magnetic array 10810 interleaved with
contact array 10820. Some of these features have been omitted from
FIGS. 11A and 11B for clarity of illustration. For example, contact
11830 can extend inward in a substantially planar coil that
terminates in corresponding rear contact 11930, as described in
connection with contact 10830 and coil 10868 of FIG. 10A. It will
be understood that any or all such features can be included in
connector assembly 11800 in accordance with embodiments of the
present invention. In addition, connector assembly 11800 can
include features that are not present in connector assembly 10800,
as discussed below.
Connector assembly 11800 can advantageously include acoustic tunnel
11990, which can be adapted to extend substantially outward beyond
the distal face of connector assembly 11800, in order to align with
the tip of the microphone boot of a headset connector plate
assembly (not shown), such as either of microphone boots 4420 and
7420, depicted in FIGS. 4 and 7, respectively. In particular,
notched tip 11994 of acoustic tunnel 11990 can be shaped to mate
with the corresponding notched recess of the microphone boot, such
as the notched recess of microphone boot 4420 of FIG. 4.
When cable connector 11000 is coupled to a headset connector plate,
such as connector plate 2400 of FIG. 2A, a portion of cable
connector assembly 11800 can extend into a recessed portion of the
headset tube, such as recessed portion 2420 of tube 2200, shown in
FIG. 2. Dotted line 11880 in FIGS. 11A and 11B can demarcate the
approximate edge of the headset tube, which can be substantially
parallel to the front face of cable connector assembly 11800, and
offset toward the proximal end of cable connector 11000. Acoustic
tunnel aperture 11996, which is positioned closer to the proximal
end of cable connector 11000, can be exposed to open air while
cable connector 11000 is coupled to a corresponding connector plate
assembly of a headset. This positioning can advantageously allow
sound from a user's voice to enter acoustic channel 11990 through
aperture 11996 and exit through aperture 11992, leading into the
microphone boot of the corresponding headset (e.g., microphone boot
4420 or 7420 of FIG. 4 or 7, respectively).
Thus, acoustic tunnel 11990 can advantageously permit cable
connector 11900 to be coupled to a complementary headset connector
plate assembly (e.g., assembly 7000 of FIG. 7) without obstructing
the airflow through the microphone port (e.g., port 7430 of FIG. 7)
and the microphone boot aperture (e.g., aperture 7424 of FIG. 7) of
that headset connector plate assembly. If necessary, any suitable
portion of the headset connector plate assembly can be modified to
facilitate the coupling of acoustic tube 11990 with the microphone
boot of the headset connector plate assembly. For instance, the
edge of connector plate 7400 that is substantially in front of
microphone port 7430 and microphone boot aperture 7424 of FIG. 7
can be lowered, reshaped, or otherwise modified to facilitate entry
of acoustic tube 11990 into headset connector plate assembly 7000.
Advantageously, acoustic tunnel 11990 and cable connector housing
11970 can be sized and shaped so that a substantially airtight seal
is formed between acoustic tunnel 11990 and its complementary
microphone boot when they are coupled to each other, substantially
preserving the quality of the sound that passes through the channel
formed by acoustic tunnel 11990 and the microphone boot.
When cable connector 11000 is coupled to a complementary headset
connector plate assembly (e.g., connector plate assembly 4500 of
FIG. 4), contacts of cable connector 11000 can be electrically
coupled to corresponding contacts of that connector plate assembly.
For example, contact 11830 of cable connector 11000 can be
electrically coupled to rightmost contact 4410 of connector plate
assembly 4500 of FIG. 4. Similarly, each of contacts 11840, 11850,
and 11860 can be electrically coupled to a corresponding contact of
connector plate assembly 4500 of FIG. 4. Contacts 11830, 11840,
11850, and 11860 can extend proximally into cable connector
assembly 11800 in any suitable fashion (e.g., substantially
straight, in planar coils, in cylindrical springs, or any suitable
combination thereof) toward respective leads 11930, 11940, 11950,
and 11960. Leads 11930, 11940, 11950, and 11960 can, in turn, be
electrically coupled to respective wires 11932, 11942, 11952, and
11962, which can extend through connector body 11900 into the
attached cable.
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, any or all of
wires 11932, 11942, 11952, and 11962 can be used to carry
electrical power to a wireless communication headset from an
associated device (e.g., a cellular telephone) by delivering the
power through the appropriate contacts, selected from among
contacts 11830, 11840, 11850, and 11860. In some embodiments of the
invention, outermost wires 11962 and 11932 can be used to carry
electrical power and ground signals from a cellular telephone to a
Bluetooth headset. In other embodiments, only one wire is needed to
carry electrical power, while electrical ground is carried by
housing 11970 of cable connector 11000. The ability to transfer
power from a telephone to a wireless headset through a cable using
connector 11000 can allow a user to use the wireless headset even
after the power in a battery pack of the headset has dropped below
a minimum voltage threshold, where dropping below the minimum
voltage would normally preclude operation (or at least full
operation) of the wireless headset. In this way, a user can
advantageously avoid or prolong the need to recharge the headset
using an electrical outlet (e.g., with docking station 112 of FIG.
1). Additionally, the ability the draw power from a telephone can
advantageously facilitate the use of the wireless headset during
relatively long telephone calls, during which the battery life of a
wireless headset relying entirely on its internal battery pack
would be exceeded. Such features can be provided while maintaining
a relatively small form factor for the wireless headset, providing
relatively good user comfort and aesthetics. The wireless headset
can continue to transmit voice data to and from the corresponding
telephone using any appropriate communication means (e.g.,
Bluetooth wireless communication) while power is being supplied to
the headset.
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, any or all of
wires 11932, 11942, 11952, and 11962 can be used to carry audio
data between a wireless communication headset and an associated
device (e.g., a cellular telephone) by transmitting the data
through the appropriate contacts, selected from among contacts
11830, 11840, 11850, and 11860. In some embodiments of the
invention, innermost wires 11952 and 11942 can be used to carry
data to and from the wireless headset. For instance, one of wires
11952 and 11942 can be used substantially exclusively for
transmitting audio data to the wireless headset, while the other of
wires 11952 and 11942 can be used substantially exclusively for
transmitting audio data from the wireless headset. Alternatively,
both wires 11952 and 11942 can be used for bidirectional
communication between the telephone and the wireless headset. The
audio data can be transmitted using any suitable communication
means (e.g., using USB protocols, serial data transfer protocols,
or any other suitable standards). The ability to transfer audio
data between a telephone and a wireless headset through a wired
cable connection using connector 11000 can allow a user to carry on
a conversation using the telephone even in the presence of
interference, noise, jitter, or any other impediments to successful
wireless data communication between the telephone and the wireless
headset.
Thus, the use of cable connector 11800 to couple a telephone to a
wireless headset through a cable can advantageously allow power,
data, or both to be transferred between the telephone and the
wireless headset. In addition, acoustic tunnel 11990 can allow
airflow into a microphone boot of a complementary headset connector
plate assembly (e.g., microphone boot 4420 or 5420 of FIG. 4 or
FIG. 5, respectively) while cable connector 11800 is mated with the
connector plate assembly. It will be understood that variants of
illustrative connector 11000 shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B can be
practiced without deviating from the spirit of the invention. For
example, although four wires 11932, 11942, 11952, and 11962 are
shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B, any suitable number of wires (e.g., 2
or 1) can be used to transmit either or both of audio data and
power, while reducing the weight and size of cable connector 11000.
Similarly, the size, shape, positioning, or any combination thereof
of acoustic tunnel 11990 can be varied while still maintaining the
advantages of the invention described above (e.g., at least part of
acoustic tube 11990 can be substantially curved).
FIGS. 12A and 12B are, respectively, side and top views of another
illustrative cable connector 12000 in accordance with an embodiment
of the invention. In FIGS. 12A and 12B, certain structures that are
located inside housing 12970 are represented by dashed lines. Cable
connector 12000 can be used as connector 108 of FIG. 1 to
electrically couple wireless communication headset 110 to telephone
102 through cable 106. Cable connector 12000 can be similar to
cable connector 11000 in many respects, and similar elements are
referenced by numerals that differ by 1000 between FIGS. 11A and
12A, and between FIGS. 11B and 12B. For simplicity of discussion,
it is not deemed necessary to repeat the description of such
similar elements, and instead, discussion of cable connector 12000
will be focused primarily on aspects of cable connector 12000 that
are different from cable connector 11000.
Cable connector 12000, like cable connector 11000, can include
acoustic tunnel 12990, which can be adapted to extend substantially
outward beyond the distal face of connector assembly 12800 in order
to align with the tip of the microphone boot of a headset connector
plate assembly (not shown), such as either of microphone boots 4420
and 7420, depicted in FIGS. 4 and 7, respectively. However, in
contrast to acoustic tunnel 12990, acoustic tunnel 12990 does not
extend proximally beyond dotted line 12880, which marks the
approximate edge of the headset tube when cable connector 12000 is
coupled to a complementary connector assembly of the headset.
Accordingly, aperture 12996, which is positioned proximally beyond
dotted line 12880 and is adapted to receive sound from the speech
of a user, can be coupled to acoustic tunnel 12990 through
microphone 12991, wire 12993, and speaker 12995.
Microphone 12991 can be any suitable microphone, such as microphone
7422 of FIG. 7, used in a wireless communication headset, some
variant thereof, or a substantially smaller microphone. Microphone
12991 can be aligned substantially below and against aperture
12996, forming a substantially airtight seal with the edges of
aperture 12996 so that sounds received through aperture 12996 do
not leak into other portions of cable connector assembly 12800, but
rather are substantially captured by microphone 12996, thereby
producing relatively good audio reception. Microphone 12996 can
communicate received audio data or any appropriate data
corresponding to that received audio data (e.g., a filtered or
compressed version) to speaker 12995, which can substantially
repeat the received audio data into acoustic tunnel 12992.
Speaker 12995 can include any appropriate circuitry or mechanical
components, including electrical amplifiers, buffers, or repeaters,
and can be similar to a speaker in a wireless headset that cable
connector 12000 is adapted to couple to, or can be any other
suitable speaker. In some embodiments of the invention, speaker
12995 can be substantially smaller than the wireless headset
speaker, as speaker 12995 does not need to output audio at a volume
that is suitable for human hearing, but rather, only needs to relay
the audio to the wireless headset speaker for subsequent projection
by that headset speaker to the user. Speaker 12995 can be
positioned substantially flush against the proximal edges of
acoustic tunnel 12990, such that the audio signals projected from
microphone 12996 can be transmitted substantially without
degradation through acoustic tunnel 12990, into a microphone boot
of a headset connector plate assembly (e.g., microphone boot 4420
of headset connector plate assembly 4500 of FIG. 4) to which cable
connector assembly 12800 is coupled. Accordingly, cable connector
12000 can rely not only on the receipt of audio data through
aperture 12996 to ensure that the data is conveyed to the
microphone of an appropriate wireless headset, but can also
substantially prevent degradation of that audio data by repeating
it through speaker 12995. Microphone 12991 and speaker 12995 can be
powered through any suitable means (e.g., through a battery located
in cable connector 12000, or through wires coupled to any of
contacts 21960, 21950, 21940, and 12930).
Various modifications to cable connector 12000 can be performed if
desired. For example, additional circuitry can be coupled to
microphone 12991, speaker 12995, or both to perform noise
cancellation, echo cancellation, audio amplification, or any other
suitable function or combination thereof. Power for such additional
circuitry can be supplied through any suitable means (e.g., through
a battery located in cable connector 12000, or through wires
coupled to any of contacts 21960, 21950, 21940, and 12930).
It will be noted that, in contrast to the illustrative embodiment
depicted in FIGS. 11A and 11B, illustrative cable connector 12000
includes only two wires 12962 and 12932 for transferring electrical
signals between a telephone and a wireless communication headset,
using respective electrical contacts 12860 and 12830. In this
embodiment, wires 12962 and 12932 can be used as a source of power
for the wireless headset to which cable connector 12000 can be
coupled. In such a mode, the wireless headset can still rely
substantially on wireless communication to transmit audio data to
and receive audio data from a corresponding telephone, using any
appropriate means (e.g., Bluetooth communication). Alternatively,
wires 12962 and 12932 can be used for transmitting audio data back
and forth between the telephone and the wireless audio headset, in
which case the wireless headset can rely on its internal battery
pack for power. In yet another embodiment, one of wires 12962 and
12932 can be used to transmit power from the telephone to the
wireless headset (e.g., by relying on housing 12970 as a reference
for electrical ground) and the other of wires 12962 and 12932 can
be used to transfer audio data between the telephone and the
wireless headset (e.g., bidirectional communication can be achieved
through a single wire by way of an appropriate communication
protocol). Using two wires instead of four can advantageously
reduce the size and weight of cable connector 12000 and its
associated cable, providing greater ease of use and reducing the
chance that cable connector 12000 will be decoupled from the
wireless headset (e.g., a greater force will be required to break a
magnetic coupling that can be established between cable connector
12000 and the corresponding wireless headset). In another
embodiment, cable connector 12000 (or any other cable connector of
the invention) can include only one wire, which can be coupled to
any of contacts 12930, 12940, 12950, and 12960, and which can be
adapted to transfer power or audio data between a wireless headset
and a telephone.
FIG. 13 is a block diagram of illustrative circuitry for use in a
cable connector 13000 and an associated wireless communication
headset 13500 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
Cable connector 13000 can be used as connector 108 of FIG. 1, and
wireless communication headset 13500 can be used as headset 110 of
FIG. 1. Cable connector 13000 can include some or all the features
of the connector structures illustrated in FIGS. 8-12B. For
example, microphone 13002 of cable connector 13000 can be placed
substantially below and flush against the perimeter of an aperture
at the top of cable connector 13000, as depicted in connection with
microphone 12991 and aperture 12996 of cable connector 12000.
Similarly, wireless communication headset 13500 can include any or
all of the features of the headset structures illustrated in FIGS.
2A-7.
Cable connector 13000 can include microphone 13002, control
circuitry 13004, and transmission circuitry 13006. Microphone
13002, which can be any suitable microphone, including any
structures that can be used in microphone 12991, can be operable to
receive audio input from a person's voice while cable connector
13000 is coupled to wireless headset 13500 (e.g., through the
coupling of magnetic components on cable connector 13000 to
ferromagnetic material of a connector plate assembly of wireless
headset 13500). This audio data can be transmitted to control
circuitry 13004 through output 13008. Control circuitry 13004 can
include any appropriate circuitry, including programmable logic,
embedded or hardwired logic, analog circuitry, memory, or some
combination thereof, and be adapted to perform a variety of
functions.
For instance, when cable connector 13000 is first coupled to
wireless headset 13500, control circuitry can send control signals
(e.g., a pre-designated pattern of electrical signals, such as
binary "1"s and "0"s) through output 13010 (e.g., passing through
any one or more electrical contacts of a cable contact array such
as array 10810 of FIGS. 10A and 10B) to detection circuitry 13504
(e.g., passing through any one or more electrical contacts of a
headset contact array, such as array 4410 of FIG. 4). Detection
circuitry 13504 can include any appropriate circuitry, including
programmable logic, embedded or hardwired logic, analog circuitry,
memory, or some combination thereof. In accordance with an
embodiment of the invention, detection circuitry 13504 can be
operable to receive and detect the control signals sent by control
circuitry 13004 and, in response, at least partially disable
microphone 13502 of wireless headset 13500 via output 13508 of
detection logic 13508. This disabling can occur by substantially
preventing power from reaching microphone 13502 of wireless headset
13500, by allowing microphone 13502 to continue to receive audio
signals but disabling any suitable outputs of microphone 13502, or
by any other suitable means. By disabling microphone 13502 of
wireless headset 13500, detection circuitry 13504 can allow
microphone 13002 of cable connector 13002 to function as the
primary audio input microphone of the system, which can receive
voice data from a user for transmission to a corresponding
telephone, such as telephone 102 of FIG. 1.
Transmission of the audio data received by microphone 13002 to a
telephone can occur in various ways. For example, control circuitry
13014 can be operable to forward the audio data received from
microphone 13008 (or some data corresponding to the audio data,
such as a compressed or filtered version of the audio data) to
transmission circuitry 13006 via output 13014. Transmission
circuitry 13006, in turn, can be operable to convert the data to an
appropriate format (if necessary) and transmit the converted audio
data to the telephone via output 13016, which can be coupled to the
cable of cable connector 13000. For example, transmission circuitry
13006 can be operable to transmit audio data to a telephone using
USB data transmission, serial data transmission, or any other
suitable communication protocol. As another example, transmission
circuitry 13006 can transmit the audio data to the telephone using
a wireless transmission protocol, such as Bluetooth, if appropriate
(e.g., because the cable providing a wired connection between cable
connector 13000 and the telephone is reserved exclusively for
supplying power to wireless headset 13500).
Alternatively, the audio data can be sent from transmission
circuitry 13508, which is located on wireless headset 13500 and
which can include any appropriate circuitry, such as antenna 3214
of FIG. 3. Transmission circuitry 13508 can be operable to receive
audio data from selection circuitry 13506 via output 13514.
Selection circuitry 13506 can be controlled by output 13512 of
detection circuitry 13510, which can select between a plurality of
available audio signals, such as output 13509 of microphone 13502
and output 13510 of detection circuitry 13504. In an embodiment of
the invention, detection circuitry 13504 can select output 13509 of
microphone 13502 for output to transmission circuitry 13508 while
wireless headset 13500 is not coupled to cable connector 13000.
After wireless headset 13500 is coupled to cable connector 13000,
detection circuitry 13504 can select output 13510 of detection
circuitry 13510 for output to transmission circuitry 13508, in
response to receiving control signals from control circuitry 13010
indicating that microphone 13502 of headset 13500 is to be
disabled. After this disabling occurs, control circuitry 13004 can
forward audio data received from microphone 13002 to detector
circuitry 13504 (performing any appropriate processing prior to or
during the transmission, such as filtering, encoding, or both),
which can in forward send the audio data (again, with any
appropriate processing) through selector circuitry 13506 to
transmission circuitry 13508 via output 13514. Selection circuitry
13506 can include multiplexer circuitry, switching circuitry,
latches, registers, or any other suitable circuitry or suitable
combination thereof. Transmission circuitry 13508 can then transmit
the audio data (again, with any appropriate processing, such as
encoding the data in accordance with Bluetooth wireless
communication standards) to a telephone associated with wireless
communication headset 13500.
As seen above, cable connector 13000 and wireless communication
headset 13500 can advantageously transmit audio data received
through cable connector 13000 directly to a telephone through a
wired cable connection using transmission circuitry 13006, without
having to transmit the audio data to audio communication headset
13500. During such a transmission mode, microphone 13502 of
wireless communication headset 13500 can be disabled to conserve
power. Alternatively, instead of relying on a wired transmission to
send audio data, wireless headset 13500 can transmit audio data
received through microphone 13002 to a telephone using wireless
(e.g., Bluetooth) communication, in a mode where microphone 13502
can still be disabled in order to save power. The use of control
circuitry 13004 and detection circuitry 13504 can advantageously
detect when cable connector 13000 is coupled to wireless headset
13500, and enable microphone 13002 and disable microphone 13500 in
response to detecting such coupling.
FIGS. 14A and 14B are flow charts depicting an illustrative method
1400 of operating a wireless communication handset in wired and
wireless modes in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
Method 1400 can begin at step 1402 and proceed to step 1404, where
audio data can be exchanged between a wireless communication
headset and a telephone using Bluetooth communication. It will be
understood that any suitable communication standard can be used in
place of, or in addition to, Bluetooth communication during step
1402. In addition, non-audio data such as control signals or
messages can be exchanged between the wireless communication
headset and the telephone during step 1402.
During steps 1406, 1408, and 1410, the wireless communication
headset can be coupled to the telephone through a cable, as
illustrated in FIG. 1 and discussed in connection with FIGS. 4-13.
In illustrative step 1406, at least one magnetic component of a
cable connector of the cable can be coupled to a ferromagnetic
connector plate of the wireless communication headset. It will be
understood that any other suitable structures and methods can be
used to couple the cable to the wireless communication headset,
such as interlocking of pins, pressure exerted by fasteners or
other physical apparatus, or any combination thereof.
In illustrative step 1408, an acoustic tunnel of the cable
connector can be coupled to a microphone boot of the wireless
communication headset, as discussed in connection with FIGS.
11A-12B, thereby forming a channel to convey audio input from a
user, received at the cable connector, to a microphone of the
wireless communication headset. It will be understood that this
step can be omitted or modified as appropriate. For example, as
discussed in connection with FIG. 13, the collective
audio-receiving behavior of the cable connector and the wireless
communication headset can be coordinated through appropriate
electronic circuitry, instead of relying on the coupling of
mechanical devices such as the acoustic tunnel and the microphone
boot.
In illustrative step 1410, the cable can be connected to the
telephone in any suitable manner. For example, the coupling can be
performed by plugging in a cable connector, such as cable connector
104 of FIG. 1, to the telephone. It will be understood that steps
1406, 1408, and 1410 can proceed in a different order, and any of
the steps can proceed substantially simultaneously with each
other.
In illustrative step 1411, the telephone can detect its coupling to
the wireless communication headset and switch from wireless mode to
wired mode. The detection and switching can be performed using any
appropriate circuitry on the telephone, the wireless communication
headset, or both. Once the mode has been switched, the telephone
can transmit and receive audio data to and from the wireless
communication headset through a wired connection (e.g., through a
cable such as cable 106 of FIG. 1). Method 1400 can then proceed
through connecting step "A" to step 1414 of FIG. 14B.
Once the wireless communication headset is coupled to the telephone
through the cable, audio data, electrical power, or both can be
exchanged between the headset and the telephone through the wired
connection provided by the cable. In step 1412, user audio input
(e.g., from a user's voice) can be received at the acoustic tunnel
of the cable connector, as discussed in connection with FIGS.
11A-12B. At step 1414, the user audio input can be received at a
microphone of the wireless headset microphone boot from the
acoustic tunnel, as discussed in connection with FIGS. 11A-12B.
Audio data corresponding to this user audio input can then be
transmitted from the wireless communication headset to the
telephone through the cable connector and the cable at step 1416.
As discussed in connection with FIG. 13, the use of the acoustic
tunnel and the microphone boot to carry the user audio data to the
wireless headset from the can be omitted, and other means of
conveying user audio data to the telephone can be used instead
(e.g., a wired connection between the cable connector and the
telephone that does not pass through the wireless headset).
In the reverse direction, audio data can be received at the
wireless communication headset from the telephone through the cable
connector and the cable at step 1418, as discussed in connection
with FIGS. 11A-13. In addition, electrical power can be received at
the wireless communication headset from the telephone through the
cable connector and the cable, as discussed in connection with
FIGS. 11A-13. This power can be used to power operations of the
wireless headset directly, to recharge a battery pack of the
wireless headset, or both. It will be understood that any of steps
1412, 1414, 1416, 1418, and 1420 can be performed out of order or
substantially simultaneously with each other, and that various
modifications of those steps are contemplated. For example, after
the wireless headset is coupled to the telephone through the cable,
it is possible that electrical power can be received at the
wireless headset from the telephone in accordance with step 1422,
but that audio communication between the wireless headset and the
telephone can occur through Bluetooth or other wireless
communication instead of through the cable.
At step 1422, disconnection of the cable from the telephone, from
the wireless headset, or both can be detected. If no disconnection
has occurred, the method can proceed back to step 1412 and resume
the exchange of audio data and electrical power between the
wireless headset and the telephone. On the other hand, if
disconnection has occurred, method 1400 can proceed to step 1423,
where the telephone can detect its decoupling from the wireless
communication headset and switch from wired mode to wireless mode.
The detection and switching can be performed using any appropriate
circuitry on the telephone, the wireless communication headset, or
both. Once the mode has been switched, method 1400 can proceed to
step 1424, where audio data can once again be exchanged between the
wireless headset and the telephone through Bluetooth communication
or any other suitable type of communication, as it did in step
1404. The method can end at step 1426. It will be understood that
any of the steps of method 1400 can be omitted, modified,
reordered, or any combination thereof, and that method 1400 is
presented merely for purposes of illustrating the use of the
invention, and is not meant to restrict operation of the invention
to certain enumerated processes.
It will be understood that various modifications and combinations
of the structures and methods disclosed above can be made without
deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example,
although cable connectors of the invention are primarily discussed
above as having four contacts interleaved with five magnetic
components, any suitable number, shape, and configuration of
contacts and magnetic components can be used. Similarly, although
FIGS. 11A-12B depict acoustic tunnels that are substantially
rectangular in shape, acoustic tunnels that are substantially
curved or otherwise deviate in shape, size, or position can be
used.
Thus it is seen that a communication headset with both wired and
wireless modes is provided. One skilled in the art will appreciate
that the invention can be practiced by other than the described
embodiments, which are presented for purposes of illustration and
not of limitation, and the present invention is limited only by the
claims which follow.
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